hink she wanted me to understand that I had
come to her too soon after Ongar's decease."

"Then she must be an infernal hypocrite, that's all." But of any
hypocrisy in this matter the reader will acquit Lady Ongar, and will
understand that Archie had merely lessened the severity of his own fall
by a clever excuse. After that the two brothers went to Boxall's in the
city, and Archie, having been kept fagging all day, was sent in the
evening to dine by himself at his own club.

Sir Hugh also was desirous of seeing Lady Ongar, and had caused his wife
to say as much in that letter which she wrote to her sister. In this way
an appointment had been made without any direct intercourse between Sir
Hugh and his sister-in-law. They two had never met since the day on
which Sir Hugh had given her away in Clavering Church. To Hugh
Clavering, who was by no means a man of sentiment, this signified little
or nothing. When Lady Ongar had returned a widow, and when evil stories
against her had been rife, he had thought it expedient to have nothing
to do with her. He did not himself care much about his sister-in-law's
morals, but should his wife become much complicated with a sister
damaged in character, there might come of it trouble and annoyance.
Therefore he had resolved that Lady Ongar should be dropped. But during
the last few months things had in some respects changed. The Courton
people--that is to say, Lord Ongar's family--had given Hugh Clavering to
understand that, having made inquiry, they were disposed to acquit Lady
Ongar, and to declare their belief that she was subject to no censure.
They did not wish themselves to know her, as no intimacy between them
could now be pleasant, but they had felt it to be incumbent on them to
say as much as that to Sir Hugh. Sir Hugh had not even told his wife,
but he had twice suggested that Lady Ongar should be asked to Clavering
Park. In answer to both these invitations, Lady Ongar had declined to go
to Clavering Park.

And now Sir Hugh had a commission on his hands from the same Courton
people, which made it necessary that he should see his sister-in-law,
and Julia had agreed to receive him. To him, who was very hard in such
matters, the idea of his visit was not made disagreeable by any
remembrance of his own harshness to the woman whom he was going to see.
He cared nothing about that, and it had not occurred to him that she
would care much. But, in truth, she did care very much, and wh